In healthcare, the main application of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is imaging of soft tissue types, such as white brain matter, gray brain matter, and organs. For three-dimensional bone imaging, computed tomography (CT) remains the gold standard. Attempts to detect and segment bone structures form MRI data have been made. For example, WO 2007/044527 discloses a method comprising detecting and segmenting bone borders using dark bone border intensity information from an MRI image, building a model of a bone using the segmented bone borders and using the model of the bone to detect bone disease, and detecting bone disease within a segmented image region. WO 2013/001399 discloses ultra-short echo time image data comprising bone image data. WO 2013/001399 further discloses ultra-short echo time enabling the imaging of tissue with extremely small free induction decay values such as tendons or bone, and bone image data encompassing magnetic resonance data which contains free induction decay data which is descriptive of the position and location of bone within the subject.
WO 2013/001399 discloses an example of a medical apparatus comprising a magnetic resonance imaging system and a computer system.
However, it would be valuable to be able to provide improved bone visualization based on MRI.